Tropical Storm Ernesto (1994)
Tropical Storm Ernesto was the fifth named storm of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season. Ernesto formed on September in the eastern Atlantic Ocean to the southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. Ernesto was the only tropical cyclone to form as a Cape Verde hurricane during the 1994 season and receive a name. Ernesto quickly attained tropical storm status and moved almost due north before turning westward and dissipated on September 26. Ernesto caused no damage and no deaths. Satellite image of Ernesto https://archive.is/20131014012310/img138.imageshack.us/img138/9050/tropicalstormernesto281cx5.jpg Formation September 21, 1994 Dissipation September 26, 1994 Highest winds 60 mph Lowest pressure 1006 mbar Deaths None reported Damages None Areas affected None Part of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season Meteorological history https://archive.is/20131014012336/img138.imageshack.us/img138/3618/ernesto1994tracknp5.png A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on September 18. This was one of several strong tropical waves to appear over the eastern tropical Atlantic during the latter part of September. This wave came after a lull in any significant tropical wave activity during the climatological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, late August into early September. At 2300 UTC September 20, meteorologists began position estimates on the wave for a possible low-level circulation center, when the wave was nearing 30°W longitude. At 0600 UTC September 21, the first Dvorak classifications were taken on the wave. By 1800 UTC September 21, due to increased T numbers, it is estimated that the wave developed into Tropical Depression Seven while located about 500 miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. After forming, the depression moved slowly to the northwest. The depression was under southwesterly vertical wind shear, although the shear was apparently weak enough to allow the cyclone to intensify. While the depression was developing a mid-tropospheric trough dominated the east-central subtropical Atlantic Ocean. This created a southerly steering flow over the depression. The depression turned northward due to the southerly flow and became Tropical Storm Ernesto around 1200 UTC September 22. Ernesto continued to intensify, reaching its peak intensity of 60 mph around 0000 UTC September 23. As Ernesto continued north, it entered an area of stronger wind shear. On September 23, Ernesto began to steadily weaken. By 1200 UTC September 24, most of the associated deep convection was gone, and Ernesto weakened to a tropical depression as a result. Moving very slowly, Ernesto turned northwest again, then to the west by September 25. By around 0000 UTC September 26, Ernesto's circulation was very weak, and the cyclone dissipated. Ernesto's remnants turned west-southwest to west, steered by the lower-tropospheric winds for the next several days, occasionally generating deep convection. Ernesto's remnants generated enough deep convection to be given a Dvorak classification at 0000 UTC September 29. Ernesto's remnants were last identifiable at 1800 UTC September 29 while located about 775 miles east of the Leeward Islands. Lack of Retirement Since Ernesto never affected any land areas, it was not retired in the Spring of 1995 by the World Meteorological Organization. It was used during the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season and also used during the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season. It is on the list of names to be used for the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. See Also [Atlantic hurricane season References http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1994/ernesto/prenhc/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Atlantic_hurricane_season#Tropical_Storm_Ernesto External links * [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1994/ernesto/prenhc/ NHC Ernesto report * NHC Advisory Archives on Ernesto